(a) Respondent Unless the respondent public agency has agreed to accept service of summons electronically, the petitioner or plaintiff must personally serve the petition or complaint on the respondent public agency within three court days after the date of filing.
Rule 3.2236.Service of Petition
Division 22. Petitions Under the California Environmental Quality Act · Chapter 2. California Environmental Quality Act Proceedings Involving Streamlined CEQA Projects · Article 2. CEQA Challenges to Approval of Sacramento Arena Project · Adopted 2014 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 29, 2026
In one sentenceRule 3.2236 sets the Sacramento arena project’s own service deadlines — personal service on the respondent agency and real parties within three court days of filing, service on the Attorney General within the same period, service on responsible agencies within two court days of receiving their list, and proof of service within one court day of completion.
Full Text of Rule 3.2236
(b) Real parties in interest The petitioner or plaintiff must serve the petition or complaint on any real party in interest named in the pleading within three court days after the date of filing.
(c) Attorney General The petitioner or plaintiff must serve the petition or complaint on the Attorney General within three court days after the date of filing
(d) Responsible agencies The petitioner or plaintiff must serve the petition or complaint on any responsible agencies or public agencies with jurisdiction over a natural resource affected by the project within two court days of receipt of a list of such agencies from respondent public agency.
(e) Proof of service The petitioner or plaintiff must file proof of service on each respondent, real party in interest, or agency within one court day of completion of service.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 3.2236 gives Sacramento arena project litigation its own tight service timeline, separate from the general streamlined CEQA rule that applies to other projects. The respondent public agency must be personally served within three court days of filing, unless it has already agreed to accept electronic service of summons. Any real party in interest named in the petition gets the same three-court-day treatment, and so does the Attorney General.
Responsible agencies work on a different trigger. Because a petitioner cannot know which agencies have jurisdiction over an affected natural resource until the respondent agency identifies them, the rule gives the petitioner two court days from receiving that list — the list Rule 3.2237 requires the respondent to produce — to serve each one.
Every act of service under this rule has to be documented quickly: proof of service on each respondent, real party, or agency is due within one court day of completing service, keeping the record current as the compressed schedule moves forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly must the respondent agency be served in a Sacramento arena project CEQA case?
Within three court days after filing, by personal service, unless the agency has already agreed to accept electronic service of summons, under Rule 3.2236(a).
How much time does a petitioner have to serve responsible agencies?
Two court days after receiving the list of responsible agencies from the respondent public agency, under Rule 3.2236(d).
When is proof of service due after serving a party in these cases?
Within one court day of completing service, under Rule 3.2236(e).
Amendment History
Rule 3.2236 adopted effective July 1, 2014.
Source & verification. Rule text is reproduced verbatim from
the Judicial Council of California. Adopted by the Judicial Council of California.
Last verified July 29, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: Sacramento arena project petition service deadlinehow to serve CEQA petition Sacramento arena caseCRC rule 3.2236